Perambulator adapted to be converted into a stroller and capable of allowing several attitudes for the baby&#39;s body



Sept. 24, 1968 N. DE FALCO 3,402,939

PERAMBULATOR ADAPTED TO BE CONVERTED INTO A STROLLER AND CAPABLE OF ALLOWING SEVERAL ATTITUDES FOR THE BABYS B Filed Sept. 9, 1966 r 3 Shee s-Sheet 1 gf-fif k.

Sept. 24, 1968 N. DE FALCO 3,402,939

PERAMBULATOR ADAPTED TO BE CONVERTED INTO A STROLLER AND CAPABLE OF ALLOWING SEVERAL ATTITUDES FOR THE BABYS BODY Filed Sept. 9, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 24, 1968 N. 05' FALCO 3,402,939

PERAMBULATOR ADAPTED TO BE CONVERTED INTO TROLLER AN APABLE OF ALLOWING SEVERAL ATTITUDBS FOR B 5 BO Filed Sept. 9, 1966 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,402,939 PERAMBULATOR ADAPTED TO BE CONVERTED INTO A STROLLER AND CAPABLE OF ALLOW- ING SEVERAL ATTITUDES FOR THE BABYS BODY Nicola De Falco, Via Tiziano 18, Milan, Italy Filed Sept. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 578,224 Claims priority, applicati6o5n Italy, Dec. 2, 1965,

3 Claims. (51. 280-4738) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a perambulator, of the kind comprising a convertible body so as to assume different configurations allowing for several attitudes of the baby. Perambulators are known in which two interchangeable bodies are provided, one of which serves to receive the baby in a lying position, that is when using the perambulator in the conventional way, the other one serving for receiving the baby in a sitting or reclined, or at rest position, that is to say when the perambulator is used as a stroller.

Said perambulators afford the outstanding advantage that they lend themselves to a number of uses and can thus be utilized for a longer period of the babys life, by employing the same carrying frame and the same motive parts.

This invention aims at a further improvement in the construction of such a perambulator, in that it utilizes, to different ends enumerated above, not only a common portion, but the whole perambulator, that is to say both the carrying frame and the body, by making the latter capable of assuming a number of different configurations and sizes according to the use intended to at any particular time.

Th considerable savings obtainable thereby are selfexplanatory, in that there is no component part intended to remain unused, even provisionally, whereas, in comparison with the conventional single-bodied perambulators, a possibility of multiple use is maintained, which could be obtained hitherto only by adding an ancillary component part.

It should be observed, moreover, that this advantage of "multiplying the configurations and size of the perambulator body even outdoors exists in that it is no longer necessary to have at hand the additional body portion, which is cumbersome to carry.

The inventive perambulator which, as it will clearly appear from the ensuing disclosure, has elements rendering it quite functional and practical in use, also providing a pleasant appearance, is essentially characterized in that the bottom of the perambulators body is collapsible along transverse lines, supporting means being provided which are disengageable so as to keep said bottom supported in at least two points, said supporting means being capable of being embodied through the sidewalls of said body and in such a case means are provided, along a broken lin situated on each of the flexible sidewalls of said body for fastening the bottoms edge temporarily thereto, said bottom being collapsible in correspondence to the angles 3,402,939 Patented Sept. 24, 1968 which said broken line portions form with one another and with said bottom.

The accompanying drawings are illustrative of an embodiment of the perambulator according to the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the perambulator in a certain configuration.

FIGURE 2 shows a distinct detail thereof on enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of another configuration of the perambulator.

FIGURE 4 shows a'close-up of a detail.

FIGURE 5 shows the perambulator with an orientation of the body other than that shown in FIG. 3.

FIGURE 6 shows the body in detail.

The perambulator according to the invention comprises a body 1, of a pliable material, supported by a frame 2 which is supported, in turn, by the wheels 3 of the vehicle.

On each sidewall 4 of said body 1 a broken line can be seen, which comprises three portions, indicated as 5, 6 and 7, respectively; more particularly the portion 5 lies between the points A and B, the portion 6 between the points B and C and the portion 7 is comprised between the points C and D.

A zipper is provided on each sidewall of said body, the operative parts (i.e. interlocking teeth) of said zipper being afiixed to the fabric forming said body.

More particularly on each sidewall, a portion of the zipper (that is either row of teeth), indicated at 8, is afl'ixed to said sidewall along said broken line 5-67: more precisely, said portion of the zipper begins at A, follows said broken line to be terminated at a point E between the points C and D.

The other portion of the zipper, indicated at 9, is affixed to said sidewall along the horizontal lower edge thereof and precisely it starts at the point A and extends to a point F.

The sliding device, adapted to cause the mutual interlocking of the two portions 8 and 9 of the zipper is indicated at 10. The reference numeral 19 indicates two folds formed in the body portion 17.

Within the perambulator, on the bottom thereof, a wall is provided comprising several parts 11, 12, 13 (see FIG. 6) articulatedly connected to one another so that each portion can be inclined with respect to the others. Said bottom wall is supported by the body of which it forms the lower part. When the perambulator is in the configuration of FIG. 1 (configuration of a perambulator proper) the bottom of the body 1 lies flat and also said wall is horizontal (with the exception of an end portion which is substantially vertical as shown in FIG. 6). Under these conditions the baby lies horizontally in a recumbent position in the perambulator. If it is desired to prearrange the perambulator in the conditions in which the baby can sit erect or in a relaxing, semi recumbent posture, the zippers of each sidewall are manipulated, that is to say, the mutual interlock of the portions 9 and 10 is brought about on each sidewall of the body by means of the sliding device 10.

By pulling said sliding device, starting from the position shown at A, said slider brings about the union of the portions 8 and 9 to one another by traveling first over the segment A-B, then the segment B-C and finally the segment C-E. The slider travel ends at E wherein the end point P of the zipper portion 9 comes to an end. The folds 17 and 18 are compressed and thus are concealed due to the union of 8 and 9. By this manipulation, carried out on both sidewalls, the perambulator takes the shape shown FIG. 3: the bottom of body 1 (of a pliable material) has two portions 14 and 15 converging at an obtuse angle and likewise the body has a sloping rear wall V 3 16. Said portions 11, 12, 13, borne by the body become inclined, when said manipulation is carried out, in very much the same way as the body portions 14, 15, 16, that is, they are oriented according to the outline of the broken line ABCD.

By presetting the perambulator as shown FIG. 5, that is, by orienting the body as shown in that figure, the body is adapted to support the baby sitting erect at ease; by orienting the body as shown FIG. 3, conversely, the body can support the baby in a relaxed, semi-recumbent posture. By carrying out the reverse manipulation with the sliders 10 (that is separating the portion 8 and 9 of each zipper), the perarnbulator is restored to the conditions of FIG. 1.

Naturally, the bottom can be fastened to the sidewalls of the body in an angulated position by other equivalent means such as books, buttons, ties or it can be fastened to the frame by links or other optional means, instead of being connected through the sidewalls.

I claim:

1. A perambulator comprising a pliable body having a bottom with a transverse axis of articulation, said body having opposite pliable sidewalls and including means extending along a broken line at each sidewall for temporarily fastening the sidewall at each line to cause articulation of the bottom about said axis and a change in the configuration of said bottom.

2. A perarnbulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for fastening each sidewall comprises a zipper including a portion affixed to the sidewall along said broken line and a second portion afiixed to said body in the region of the lower edge of the sidewall.

3. A perambulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein'said bottom in unarticulated configuration isflat and is adapted for receiving a ba-by'in lying position, said body in articulated configuration being supportable in two positions, in one of which the body -is adapted for receiving a baby in erect, sitting position and in the other in a"semi-recumbent, relaxed position. 5

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,007,804 7/1935 Kilimnik- 280-414 2,486,917 11/1949 Boudreau 280-47.4 2,709,478 5/1955 Golding 594X 3,094,713 6/1963 Wise 5-67 FOREIGN 'PATENTS 1,289,332 2/1962 France.

578 1852 Great Britain., 821,140 9/1959 Great Britain.

RICHARD J. JOHNSON, Primary Examiner. 

